Tractor



\ H. R. KIDNEY.

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. HARVEY B.

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TRACTOR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application and' march 11, 191e. semi no. 281,932.'

yand useful Improvements in Tractors, of

'which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in agricultural tr-actors, and it has for its primary object the provision of a machine suitable for general use on the farm, and one that is particularly adapted for cultivating when acting as a convoy to an implement employed for that purpose.'

A further object of the present invention is to produce a machine ofrthis class that is simple and durable in construction; that can be manufactured at comparatively low cost` maintained in operative condition at small expense and with economy of time. A salient feature of the invention consists in means that provide for a variable gage, the adjustment being simple and quickly manipulated.

\ The machine is self-propelled, has high clearance, is well adapted to varying conditions of soil, and is highly efficient in operation.

With the above mentioned, and other ap- -parent objects in view, the invention consists 1n the construction, combination and ar` rangement of partsas hereinafter described and pointed out definitely in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanylng drawings which are made a part of the' specification, similar reference characters ,bemg employed to designate corresponding parts.

' In the said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved tractor,

Fig. 2 isla front end view, partially in section, showing the machine at` its maximum gage, and ig. 3 is a similar view showing the tractor contracted laterally to the minimum gage as provided in the present embodiment.

Fig". 4 is a fragmentary view,.on an enlarged scale, of the rear-wheel and seat support.

Fig. 5 is `a plan view, and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation taken on line 6-6of Fig. 5. A

The present embodiment of my inventio'rf, provides two arched axle members l and 2, on which the ground traction wheels 3 and 4 are respecduyahoga and I wings 6 through which the bolts v1n mesh with tively revolubly mounted, trunnions' and 2'. being provided therefor, said trunnions being in a plane parallel to and below the bodies of the axles, as shown. The engine casing v. and; transmission housing B are mounted-onfthe axle members 1 and 2 as shown. A novell construction proviles lateral adjustment of the members 1 an 2 relatively to. each other, and maintains the combined members 5 and tion, or equidistant from the wheels 3 and 4 when said adjustments are brought about. By this construction, which will presently described, a variety of gages can be obtained. This feature and the high clearance between the ground and the bodies of the Patented Nov. 11, V1919. L

6 in a medial posiaxles, are appreciable advantages of a tractor when used in the operation of cultivating.

The members 1 and 2 overlap and are adapted to bear on each other, being slidable laterally when not, locked as provided. The

bearing faces 1 and 2 are provided res ec- L.

tively with vertical grooves 1" and 2". he' said grooves are correspondingly spaced and adapted to tion of lockingbolts 'i'. The housing member 6 is provided lwith laterally extending 7 pass and registration forthe accommodaextend down through the registering groves in the members 1 and 2. ClamV lng members 8- are provided, said mem ers being adapted to be drawn b the bolts 7 against oppositely inclined surgices 1 and 2 on the members 1 and 2, thereby forcing the faces l and 2a toa bearing, and thus locking the lateral adjustment o the members and 2.Y

The ground traction wheels 3V and 4 are' provided withjgeer-members, inthe resent embodiment internal gear rings 9 an 10 are rigidly attached to said wheels, and brackets 1d and 2d on the members 1 and 2 provide bearings for spindles 11 and 12, said spindles. carrying spur plilnions 13 and 14 which are t e tively. The, s indes 11 and 12 are with Alongitu inal bores, said bores be square in cross-section and extending entirely through the spindles, as best shown at 12, Fig.` 2.

Two driving to be driven by the engine through the transmission mechanism whichis inclosed within the housing 6. The shafts 15 and 16* are squared from theibearings 6 to' thai outer terminals and are adapted to Va shafts 15 and 16V are adaptbd gears 9 and 10 respeeprovided mg fit in the squared bores of the spindles 11 and 12, thereby accommodating the driving mechanism to the lateral expansion an contraction, or the varying gages of the ground wheels, without disarran ng oi the trans mission mechanism or t e employment/ of clutches. i

When the machine is adjusted to the maximum gage, as shown in Fi l. Q and 5, the members 1- and@ bear on eac other between the terminals L5 and 2, the locking bolts 7 passing through eorrespondin grooves 1" f and 2", the outer groove 1" registering withV eregistering with housing 20 segment being 2 and the outer ove 2P inner groove l". he spin- L.dies 11 and 12 are carried outward by the hearing brackets-1 and 2, and slide onthe squared shafts 15 and 16. The said shafts extend a sutient distance into the bores of the spindles to drive said spindles. The pinons 1?; and 14 are retained itheir operative positionaiin mesh with the gears 10 and 11, the torque being taken by the spindles in the bearings 1 and 2, and not. .affecting the alinement of the driving shafts.

When the machine is adjusted to the minimum ge, as shown in Fig. 3, the members 1 an 2 overlapping each vother terminate as shown by dotted lines 1 and 2, and the shafts through theebores of the spindles 11 and 12, the driving pinions and'gears remaining in the same relative positions. L,

The rear of the machine is supported by a trailing ground wheel 17 mounted casterlike and attached to the forward structure oy a connecting member 18, said member 1S being ivotally connected with the housing 6 by t e bolt 19. This construction allows the trailing wheel 1f? and the members connected therewith, to be shifted to the right or left as desired, so that the trailing wheel may travel in a medial path, or in line with either the right or le'ft forward wheels.

The connecting member 18 is rigidly connected with a housing 20, and the fork 21 in which the wheel 1,7 is mounted, is journaled in said ihousing, the stem 21 being provided for thipnrpose and having a tubular mem ber 22 1n the bore ber 21 is provided with a flange 21, d the has a .bearing flange 20 t ereon. `Registering holes are provided in the ilangcs 20' and 21* to accommodate a removable in 23. By this arrangementit will he seen that the wheel-fork may be allowed to oscillate freely in the housing 20, or it may be locked to said housing.

An overhangin portion 6" of the housing 6, carries a depen ing segmental gear 24, the formed with the pivotal bolt 1Q as a center.A This segmental gear is one element of the steering mechanism, and is in mesh with a pinion 25 carried on the steen The rod 26 is mounted the inner groove operator 15 and 16 extend entirely thereof. Thev fork mem-V inbeltr-- ings 2T. A universal joint oi'. any suitable design, indicated by 28, provides a fleriible operative connection between the rod 26 and rod 26, said rod Q6 being mounted in the housing 20 at 20, and having a hand-wheel 29 connected therewith in convenient posh tion for manipulation by the operator when seated on the seat 30.

The seat 30 is mounted on a seat post Ill that is inserted in the housing The seat post 31 is formed so that the portion fllil to which the seat 30 is attached, is in a. lower horizontal plane than the part 31h which is inserted in the housing. This peculiar construction renders the seat automatically adjustable relatively to 'uneven conditions of the ground operated on, as the weight oi the retains himin a perpendicular posture when the machine is tipped to the right or left according to ground conditions. A yielding or resilient. seat movement is provided by an annular line bearing of the member 31 in the housing 20, as shown al QG, Fig. 4, ro-acting with a spring ll connected with the element 31b and anchored in the tubular member 22.

Provision is made for abrupt turning of the tractor. lVith this in View, the driving spindles ll and l2 are provided with suitable brakes 33 which may he operated by any well known means, as for example. connecting rods 34, shown broken away in Fl 7n When brake pressure is applied to spindle l 1 the wheel 3 becomes locked. and wheel 4 being driven, guides the machine to the left in a short turn. The opposite resultr will, :is a. matter of course, be obtained b v the epplication of brake pressure to spindle l2, with spindle ll released.

While I have described an operative e1nbodiment of 'my invention, it will be under stood that there may he various changes in the details of construction without dcparturd from the nature of the invention, and that l y am confined to this Specific construction only claims.

lVhat l claim and desire to secure ters Patent is.

1, ln a tractor, two axle members adapted to overlap each other. means 'For lateral ad` justment of the overlap. ground traction wheels mounted on said axles. an engine and power transmission mechanism provided with suitable housing suppmied on said axles, laterally adjustable moz-ins connected with the transmission mechanism and the traction wheels for driving the traiciona rear wheel mounted in a suitable housing, :nel means for connecting 'said housing with the forward structure of ,the machine,

"2. n a tractor, tivo rorreswinding axle members adapted to overlap cer-.h other and provided with laterally extending lrunnions,

the overlapping paris of said axles being in a plane parallel to and the horizontal line of the trunnions, means for lateral adjustment of the overlap, ground traction wheels mounted on the axle trunnions, an engine and power transmissionmechanism mounted on the raised portions of the axles, laterally adjustable means connected with the transmission mechanism and the-trac,- tion wheels for driving said wheels, a trail` ing wheel mounted in u suitable housing, and means for connecting `said housing with the forward structure.

`3. In a tractor, two corresponding axle members adapted to overlap and bear on each other for lateral' adjustment, vertical.

grooves in the bearing faces of the axle members, said grooves being adapted to register, clamping means coacting with said grooves for maintaining the ga adjustment of the tractor, ground tractlon wheels mounted-on the axles, an engine and power transmission mechanism provided with suit-f able housing supported 0n the axles, laterally adjustable means connected with the transmiion mechanism and the traction wheels for driving said wheels, a trailin wheel mounted in suitable housing, an means for connecting said lrousing with the forward structure.

4. In a tractor, two corresponding axle members adapted to overlap each other and provided with laterally extendin .tnmnions, the overlappin parts of said es being in a plane a'rall to and above the horizontal line of t e trunnions, 4means for lateral adjustment of the overlap, said means consistping parts of the axle members, ground traction wheels mounted on the axle trlilnions, an engine and mechanism provided with suita le housing supported on the elevated portions of the ax es, laterally adjustable means connected withthe vtransmission mechanism 'and the traction wheels for driving said wheels, ya trailing wheel mounted in suitable housing, and means for pivotally connectingt said housing with the forward structure.

5. In' a tractor, two corresponding axle members adapted to overlap and bear on` Y spindles carrying pinions in mesh with the gears on the traction wheels, drive shafts ,the overlapping a. plane of clamping devices .which coact with registering grooves provided in the overlap- 1 said power t emission connected with the transmission mechanism and Vslidable longitudinally in thei spindles means for reventin the rotation of sai shafts in 51e spin es, a, trailing wheel mounted in a suitable housing, and-means for connecting said `housing with the forward structure.

6. In a tractor, two corresponding axle members ada ted to overlap each other and provided wi laterally extendin trunnions', parts of said a es 'being in v relie line of e trunnions, justment of the overlap, said means consist- .ing of clamping devices which comet with registering groovesprovided in the overlapping parte of the axle members, ground traction wheels mounted on the axle trunto and above the horizontal I,

means forl lateral adnioxis, an engine and power transmission mechanism provided with suitable housing supported on the elevated portions of the axles, laterally adjustable means connected with the transmission mechanismand thetracton wheels for driving said "wheels, said means comprising shorts connected with thel transmission mechanism and slidable longitudinalldy in 'sgndles mounted in bearings provi ed on` t axle members, means being provided `for p'revmting rotation of said shafts in the spindles, gears connected and pinons on the spindles, .in mesh with said gears, a wheel mounted in suitable housing, means for pi'votaalll connecting said housing with .the forw structure, mechanism connected with the forw structure 'for maf chine, and means for manually` wanting r mechanism by the operatorlocated on th rear housing.

7, In a tractorthe combination of two corresponding fcirirard axle members ads. ted to overlap ',andoli-eachother or lateral gageadjustm t, the outer ends' of 'said axle members. depbndzig. and provided laterallyina with trunnions which plane of the plane lowerv than the horizontal overlegging parte, ground traction wheels' moun pn said trunnions; l ps forcentrolling .the lateral adjustment .9i the axle members; jan engine 'Imd/ power transmission mecha sin supportedllon the' axle ,members; f connected. with the traction wheels; spidles mounted n the axle mer'nbeis in juxtt pinions earned by said spindles, in mesh with the traction wheel gears; drive shafts connectedvtlx'thej transmission mechanism and sldahl-elongitudinally in the spindles; means for preventing rotation of said shafts in the spindles; a rearwardly ,extending .frame member pivotally connected with the forward structure; a trailing ground wheel having a caster mounting in said frame, thereby adapting it to horizontal oscillation;

'tion tothg traction wheel's with 'the traction wheels,

izo

mean's for checking the oscillation; and housin end the `reggistering grooves and 15 mechanism `on -the forward strue'- throug clam members adapted to bear on ture,said mechanism being operated ,from the under si e and the opposite transverse frhe. sides. of lthe axle members, whereby said 5 8. In a' tractor, two corresponding axle axle members areelamped together, traction members edeV ted to overlap euch otherand wheels mounted on' the axle trunnions, lat- 20 provided wit laterally extendn trunnions, erally adjustable means connected with the the overlapping parts of Said ax es being vin transmission mechanism and l the trim-tion a plnne paralle to and above the horizontal wheels for driving the tractor, a, trailing H10V line of the Vtrunnions, vertical registering wheel mounted in e suitable`housing, and

vesin the bearing faces of the exlenlemmeans for connecting said housing with the 25 an engine ard'trin'slisson lneellnism forward struvture of the maghine. provided with suitable housing eup orted In testimony whereof I-alii-zn si ature. Aonsa'id xles`,b0lts extending throng 1 said HARVEYR. ID EY. 

